Oak Ridge Today

Crews clearing roads, repairing water line breaks

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Image courtesy City of Oak Ridge

Oak Ridge crews are working to clear roads and repair water line breaks.

The Oak Ridge Public Works Department worked through the night to clear main roads, according to the city government. Melton Lake Drive and South Illinois Avenue are back open.

The department will begin to plow side streets once main roads are good for driving, the city said.

“While every city street was brined or treated before the storm, it was no match for this amount of snow combined with continued low temperatures,” the city said.

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Repairs set for S. Illinois Ave. this week

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The City of Oak Ridge Public Works Department will be making asphalt repairs to South Illinois Avenue this week, weather permitting, a press release said.

The work will be in the northbound lanes across from Badger Avenue near Sonic and stopping at Oak Ridge Turnpike. Crews are set to begin at 8 a.m. and end at 3 p.m.

For more information, contact Oak Ridge Public Works Department at (865) 425-1875 or visit OakRidgeTN.gov.

Repairs planned for gravel section of Tuskegee Road

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The Oak Ridge Public Works Department will conduct road repairs to the gravel section of Tuskegee Road from Tuesday, July 19 to Friday, July 22, weather permitting, a press release said.

The work will require sections of the road to be closed for the day beginning at 8 a.m. and ending at 3 p.m.

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City wants to replace 74-year-old water line that failed nine times

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West Outer Drive Water Main Break
A water main break along West Outer Drive is pictured above in August 2015.

The Oak Ridge Public Works Department wants to replace a critical 74-year-old water line along West Outer Drive that has failed nine times since 2014.

The Oak Ridge City Council will consider a contract this evening for engineering services to replace the 14-inch cast iron water line between North Illinois Avenue and Wellington Circle. The contract for engineering services with LDA Engineering would be worth up to $120,000.

The city said the water line was installed around 1947. It is about 2,800 feet long and about three feet behind the curb on the north side of West Outer Drive.

“This section of waterline that Public Works proposes to replace has proven to be very unreliable,” Oak Ridge City Engineer Roger Flynn told City Manager Mark Watson in a memo on Monday.

The city staff found one failure in 2014 and eight more since 2018. The failures have been between 648 and 740 West Outer Drive.

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New garbage bins dropped off at homes

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New garbage bins are being dropped off at Oak Ridge homes. The deliveries began Monday, June 21. (Photo by City of Oak Ridge)

New garbage bins are being dropped off at Oak Ridge homes. The deliveries began Monday, June 21.

The blue bins should be used for your household garbage and brought to the curb on your scheduled pickup date starting in July, the City of Oak Ridge said in a press release.

The new, 95-gallon trash bins will eliminate the need for residents to purchase multiple 32-gallon bins to accommodate household waste, the press release said.

Many residents already participate in the recycle program and have previously been provided a brown cart that is taken to the curb. This service has not changed, but if you do not already own a brown recycle cart, one will be provided to you upon request, the press release said.

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Trees down, power outages reported after thunderstorm

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Fallen Tree Michigan Avenue Oct. 31 2019
A tree fell across Michigan Avenue during a severe thunderstorm in Oak Ridge on Thursday, Oct. 31, 2019. (Photo courtesy City of Oak Ridge)

Trees fell and power outages were reported after a thunderstorm in Oak Ridge on Thursday.

The fallen trees and power outages were because of strong winds and heavy rain that lasted a few hours starting at about 11 a.m. Thursday, the City of Oak Ridge said.

The Oak Ridge Public Works Department and Electric Department are responding to the damage reports and making repairs, the city said.

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Oak Ridge closes on $20 million loan for new water plant

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An aerial view of the Oak Ridge Water Treatment Plant on Pine Ridge above the Y-12 National Security Complex. (Photo courtesy Y-12 National Security Complex)

The City of Oak Ridge closed on a $20.7 million federal loan on Thursday for a new water treatment plant in south Oak Ridge.

It’s a Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act, or WIFIA, loan. The funds provided by the federal loan program will be used to design and build the new water plant, which will replace an aging facility on Pine Ridge that has served the community since the 1940s.

The total cost for replacement of the water treatment plant is estimated to be $42.2 million, the city said in a press release on Friday. WIFIA will provide about 49 percent of that cost, with the city using the Tennessee State Revolving Fund Loan Program to cover the balance, the press release said.

“After three years of application and planning, the City of Oak Ridge has reached a significant milestone in the funding needed for a new replacement water plant,” Oak Ridge City Manager Mark Watson said in the press release. “WIFIA has helped Oak Ridge with a low-interest federal loan, allowing us to avoid potential failures in a system originally designed for a different Oak Ridge. The financial terms will allow Oak Ridge to afford these much-needed improvements to serve not only our residents, but the national security and U.S. Department of Energy facilities located here.”

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Street resurfacing project under way

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The Oak Ridge Public Works Department has a street resurfacing project that is under way and expected to continue for several weeks, a press release said.

It said Public Works Department crews have completed preparation work along Paine Lane and South Purdue Avenue. Crews are now preparing North Purdue Avenue for resurfacing. Rogers Group Inc., working under contract for the City of Oak Ridge, will finish the resurfacing, the press release said.

“Drivers should be advised that some locations may have a rough or bumpy surface until Rogers Group crews are able to complete the final surface on the streets,” the release said.

Streets that will be resurfaced as part of the project, in addition to the streets listed above, are listed below:

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Temporary water outage along Gum Hollow for line repairs

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There will be a temporary water outage along Gum Hollow Road and side streets on Tuesday, October 1, to allow work crews to repair a broken water main, a press release said.

The water outage will start at 8 a.m. Tuesday, and it is expected to last between five and seven hours, the press release said.

Water will be turned off on Gum Hollow Road and all side streets beginning at Glassboro Drive, the press release said.

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Stop sign going in, stoplight coming out

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The intersection of Tyler Road and Tennessee Avenue, which now includes a stoplight, is pictured above on Thursday, July 18, 2019.

A new stop sign will be installed and the traffic signal will be removed at the intersection of Tyler Road and Tennessee Avenue in the Jackson Square area in central Oak Ridge.

The new stop sign will be uncovered on Tuesday, July 23, at about 8 a.m., the City of Oak Ridge said in a press release Thursday.

“At present, both Tyler Road and Tennessee Avenue are controlled by a traffic signal,” the press release said. “The change is being made after a traffic study indicated the traffic pattern and crash history at this location does not justify the need for a traffic signal. The study also indicated that changing the right-of-way assignment to favor Tennessee Avenue will reduce delays.”

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City repairing large landslide near access road to water plant

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Oak-Ridge-Water-Treatment-Plant-2009-1
The Oak Ridge Water Treatment Plant is pictured on Pine Ridge above the Y-12 National Security Complex. (Photo by City of Oak Ridge)

The city is repairing a large landslide that occurred next to the access road to the Oak Ridge water treatment plant on Pine Ridge above the Y-12 National Security Complex during the rainy month of February.

The landslide occurred on the night of February 23, Oak Ridge Public Works Director Shira McWaters told City Manager Mark Watson in a June 24 memo. The access road is the only access road to the city’s water plant, and it’s critical to being able to operate the water plant, McWaters said. The road allows operations and maintenance workers to get to the water plant and deliver materials, equipment, and chemicals.

Repairs were started immediately after the landslide to minimize the risk of more damage to the area and the potential to lose the only access road to the plant, McWaters said. She said work started in March and should be complete by the end of July.

The water plant provides water to both the City of Oak Ridge and to U.S. Department of Energy sites, including Y-12 and Oak Ridge National Laboratory. The plant is on a ridge at the southern entrance to central Oak Ridge above the main entrance to Y-12 at Bear Creek Road and Scarboro Road.

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Public Works open house this evening

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Oak Ridge Public Works Community Open House (Photo courtesy City of Oak Ridge)

The Oak Ridge Public Works Community Open House is this evening (Thursday, May 23).

It’s from 5 to 7:30 p.m. at the Oak Ridge Central Services Complex at 100 Woodbury Lane. Everyone is invited to attend, a press release said

The Public Works Community Open House is designed to increase public awareness about the contributions of the Oak Ridge Public Works Department, as well as educate the community about the duties, practices, and goals of the department, the press release said. It is being held in recognition of National Public Works Week, May 19-25, with the theme “Public Works, It Starts Here.”

“We’re so pleased to be able to host this free event for the community for the third year, offering everyone an opportunity to see behind the scenes and learn what Public Works is all about,” Public Works Director Shira McWaters said. “This open house will be bigger than ever, featuring fun and educational activities for all ages.”

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